World Cup 2026

World Cup 2026 Azteca Water Crisis: The Televisa Concession Behind ‘El Mundial del Despojo’

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Aerial view of Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, the World Cup 2026 venue at the center of the Santa Úrsula Coapa water dispute

Hours before Mexico’s biggest match of the tournament, someone else showed up at the Azteca first. On the evening of July 4, residents of Santa Úrsula Coapa, the neighborhood pressed against the stadium’s southern flank, staged a blockade near the ground while Mexico City police looked on. Their banners didn’t mention England, altitude, or the … Read more

World Cup 2026 Carbon Footprint: The 88% FIFA Won’t Discuss

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Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, one of the LEED-certified, solar-powered World Cup 2026 venues

FIFA has spent two years bragging about the stadiums. Thirteen of the sixteen World Cup 2026 venues are LEED-certified. Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta runs on more than 4,000 solar panels and became the first professional sports venue in North America to hit LEED Platinum. Water-saving fixtures across the host cities are projected to save over … Read more

San Jose World Cup Watch Party Violence: The 72-Hour Safety Scramble

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San Pedro Square in downtown San Jose, site of the World Cup watch party where violence erupted after Mexico's win over Ecuador

Two people were stabbed. A crowd swarmed an ambulance trying to reach them. Bottles flew at police. By 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to KQED, San Jose police had declared an unlawful assembly at San Pedro Square, where roughly 40,000 people had gathered for an official San Jose World Cup watch party to celebrate Mexico’s 2-0 … Read more